Discussion on Fahrenheit 911

[icnmgrjill]

Donna let me know about the continuing debate over the 911 movie and finally, after a number of complaints, we chose to delete it. I just wanted to share with you our reasoning. It's not that we disagreed with anyones politics.... but that we've learned that if there are two things that are guaranteed to cause feuds on our messages boards... is a discussion of religion or of politics. What starts out as innocent banter can quickly become insulting posts... and that's what happened here.

We're not mad at anyone... we're just ending it before anyone gets hurt. You know, the day after 9/11 we had users posting that it happened because people didn't believe in the "their" politics. So, on a day when we should have all been united, politics reared it's ugly head. We just want to prevent that from happening again. Please don't take this personally.

Actually, as an election year, it's one of the most fascinating to occur in years... and throw in two major movies with political themes... and it's going to be interesting to see how both parties react.

Jill (who has voted as both a republican and as a democrat... and who will not take sides with either party!)

[Dixiefireball]

i didn't get involed with the threads but in either case i think it was a good idea to stop it before it started.
sending you all hugs and prayers
Rhonda

[SharonA]

:thumbsup: Good move, Jill :thumbsup: Thanks for looking out for all of us. I did not to get involved because I could see where it might take us. This place is way too important to a whole lot of people for politics to cause division.

Donna...thank you for your wisdom, also.

[icnmgrjill]

Thank Donna... not me. She's the one who brought it to my attention!!! - Jill :)

[heiwalove]

well, i understand where you're coming from, but personally i think it's a shame that political discussions under a non-IC-related portion of the board would be censored.

but then again, i despise censorship in any form. some might say i'm a radical leftie nutcase (to which i will humbly reply, thank you), but i am more than happy and willing to hear ALL points of view, DEFINITELY including those of republican-identified bush supporters.

it IS possible to discuss politics without personal attack. how will we ever grow as people, as citizens, without dialogue, exchange, learning from each other? we MUST be willing to hear differing points of view and experiences, to offer our ideas and life lessons to the discussion. there is no other way to shatter ignorance, to repair misunderstanding.

you know, i lived in new york city when 9/11 happened. and if any good came of that horrific day, that morning which will be forever implanted in my memory (i was there in lower manhattan, watching frozen in horror as the buildings fell, everyone screaming, crying, that massive, terrifying uptown exodus, all of us running and scared, ash-covered; it looked more like war than anything i've seen so far), it was the dialogue, the SOLIDARITY. even now i tear up, remembering every night in union square, hundreds if not thousands of people informally gathered, simply to TALK, to share experiences, stories, debate, learn. we made chalk art on the sidewalks, lit candles, sang, chanted, held hands, cried, prayed; this, this was democracy. on the street, in the flesh. talking is what brought us together, 'the greatest city on earth', suddenly war-torn and shivering in fear.

so, i must say, i am wholly saddened by this act of censorship.

~heather
(peace activist, poet, artist, musician, dyke, feminist, fellow ic sufferer)

[icnmgrjill]

I completely understand your frustration... it's just that Donna and I are left trying to console those who were offended... to stop patients who decide to leave the ICN because it allows various politics to be discussed. Ultimately, our board is for support and not debate.... and if messages are focused on IC related topics... it's just easier all the way around.

The reality is that patients in pain sometimes say things they don't mean, or take things the wrong way.... combine pain, politics (or various religious topics) and an IC flare... and we're destined for hurt feelings. On the otherhand, if someone wants to write the candidates and ask about their stand on increasing the budget for IC research, I'd love to see their collective responses. In the last election, George W actually responded to my letter... where as Al Gore sent me a thank you letter which confirmed his stand on heart research.... despite the fact that I had written about urology research.


Jill